Politics is actually a very difficult journey from dream to struggle. Like the last row player in a political relay race, he has entered party politics, leaving people in awe – entrepreneur Birendra Bahadur Basnet (62). In the environment after the Gen-G movement, which created a storm by setting a model of courage, faith, thought and sacrifice, he will now take political flight along with aviation – Birendra Bahadur.

 And, this successful businessman is reading the 'kakhra' of politics in the 'second innings' of his life - through the Dynamic Democratic Party (Galopa), where personalities including sociologist Dinesh Prasai and artist Nisha Adhikari are present. 

Basnet, the founder and managing director of Buddha Air and the current executive chairman, is a central member of the 'Dynamic Democratic Party' registered ahead of the elections, but the entire party is his 'idea'. Now he has - leisure. And, experience - of a prestigious and successful business like Buddha Air, which has been flying in the sky for 3 decades.

'I came into politics thinking that management skills can also be used in politics,' says Birendra on a cold December evening that will soon be over, 'I also hope that we can give a new turn to political philosophy.'

Anyone can get a job, anyone can do business. But not everyone is a Birendra - there is a long path of struggle and faith to walk. Anyone can do politics, but without using fancy language, it should be said that the path of a good politician is very difficult (perhaps even risky). There, the collective and greater good is the dream and destination. Those who know say that it is extremely difficult to reach that destination. Can Birendra, who has chosen the easy path and the difficult path, remain honest with his dreams? This question will shape his political career. Because politics is never a matter of joke. However, in Nepal, politics has become a 'joke'. As Indra Bahadur Rai has already written, politics here is a joke, which consists of the profit-oriented business of dreams.

Why did a successful civil aviation businessman suddenly enter politics in this cold season after the Gen-G movement? ‘People travel for happiness’, says Birendra, who appears calm amidst the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu, ‘New thinking, creativity and honesty are the things that make me happy. I am happy with the work I have done till now, I have no regrets. I have reached this far through hard work and suffering. That is why entering politics is also for my own happiness.’

Birendra has two companies – Buddha Air and Morang’s Arju Rice Mill. Both these industries have contributed day and night to the country’s economy. Buddha Air has made domestic aviation viable, while Rice Mill has a dream of improving Nepal’s agricultural economy. He says, ‘My life is easy with the results of these industries.’

The story of the struggle of Buddha Air, which accounts for 60 percent of domestic flights, and Birendra is well-known in the city, but the story of the agricultural industry is almost unknown. The rice mill, with an investment of more than Rs 500 million, has a farm of about 3,000 bighas and more than 1,500 rice farmers. Birendra's father Surendra Bahadur had already converted 84 bighas of land into a 'multipurpose agricultural farm'. Birendra has returned to his ancestral roots by working on 20 bighas of his share. He feels that the path of agriculture is the path to prosperity, the path of life. 

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Birendra's life stories are written in his non-fiction book - 'By the Book'. The book is a list of the dream of Buddha Air, which was seen three decades ago, the long years of struggle and the story of success. It tells the journey from the beginning of Buddha-Udan to the country's leading airline. 'By the Book' helps us understand the knowledge, passion, patience and professional honesty of a skilled manager. How did Buddha Air, known in the Nepali sky and Birendra standing under it, reach the pinnacle of the aviation industry by climbing the stones of failure? It is also a living document of that long story – ‘By the Book’. 

When turning the ledger of Birendra’s success, the book also tells the life journey of his father, the founding executive chairman of Buddha Air, Surendra (1984-2079). Without hearing the story of his father, the story of his son would probably be incomplete. 

Surendra, born in Dingla-Salma, Bhojpur, studied BSc, MA/LLB from Banaras Hindu University (BHU).

He also became a judge of the Supreme Court, the first Chief Commissioner of the Election Commission and the chairman of the Nepal Press Council. He also became the Minister of Finance, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and Minister of Law, Justice and Education. Later, Surendra, who took up agriculture in Biratnagar, also started Buddha Air. Surendra operated a multi-purpose agricultural farm in Biratnagar in 2034, where Birendra is currently focusing on improving the lives of farmers through ‘Arju Rice Mill’. Birendra also embarked on a long journey, following the path of his capable entrepreneur father who expanded easy air services in Nepal. 

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Birendra's dream has touched the sky, but he has not left the earth either. He is not only a businessman, but also a hard worker who seeks himself in the soil and roots. Birendra's 'pass-out' flight from Budhanilkantha School was successful and distinguished. What will his future political flight be like?

Before discussing politics with Birendra, let's discuss with political analysts - Let's understand the history of the political flight of people who entered politics from the non-political field.

Many stories have been found abroad on this subject, but now let's turn to the recent history of Nepal. One of those who entered politics from the non-political field was Bharat Shamsher, who was a representative of the noble Rana family. After the fall of the Rana regime in 2007, he entered politics by opening the Gorkha Parishad (Khukuri Dal) among those who did not accept the change. He remained the leader of the Khukuri Dal for eight years and became the leader of the opposition party in parliament after the first general election in 2015. He joined the Nepali Congress after the 'coup' of 1 Poush 2017. 

Like Bharat, there was another politician – Suvarna Shumsher, who led the government for 1 year in 2015, and before that he also became the Finance Minister. Despite being born into a Rana family, he was involved in the movement against the Rana regime. He became the treasurer of the Congress, and later became the acting president during the Panchayat period when BP Koirala was under house arrest. Bharat and Survan had the 'legacy' of the Rana government. In this wave of entering politics from different fields are – Pashupati Shumsher Rana, Binod Chaudhary, Umesh Shrestha, Rajendra Khetan and Balen. 

According to political analyst Jhalak Subedi, there are not many examples in Nepal of people who have come into politics from completely different backgrounds or business families or have succeeded by starting their own parties, Bharat Shumsher being an exception. ‘However, he also entered politics in the Rana legacy. Politics and business are different matters. In business, one’s passion matters. In politics, one has to appeal to the people, which is very difficult,’ says Jhalak. ‘In the case of Birendra Bahadur, if he embarks on a long political journey, he can achieve success. Businessmen are made through hard work, and a party can also be built through hard work, but it takes years.’

Another political analyst Lokraj Baral feels that the leadership of those who enter politics must be attractive. He sounds optimistic about Birendra Bahadur. ‘The idea of ​​how agriculture and tourism can be developed along with politics can propel him forward. It is difficult for established parties to survive now, so what will be the survival of a new party? It is impossible to say right now,’ says Lokraj. ‘However, Birendra’s political career depends on how much appeal to the people he attracts. How can he explain his issue to the people? That is the important issue. And, how do the people understand him? That depends on his leadership.’ 

Political analyst Krishna Khanal thinks that business and leadership are completely different issues. ‘Personalities who came to politics from other fields were not seen much in Nepal. Looking back on history, some Ranas came, but did not reach the leadership – Suvarna Shumsher reached it, but did not see the lead role, could not run the party,’ says Krishna, ‘After 046, Birendra Bahadur has been doing great in business. However, a party cannot be run without a clear political vision. Politics is a place of glamour, but to achieve success, one must be clear in political vision and thinking. Politics without thought stands on weak ground. In politics, one must be able to keep the people in balance. Birendra is a successful entrepreneur, but the same cannot be said about his political flight.’

The suggestions of these three political analysts are worth considering for Birendra. However, politics is a game of possibilities, where anyone, at any time, can achieve success. Now let's discuss Birendra's political thoughts, ideas and path with him. 

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Birendra is successful, there are lines of happiness on his face . However, some worries have also made him sad inside . Just as Birendra Bahadur is sad – surrounded by the 'disadvantages of the country' . Unemployment, corruption, misrule, emigration of youth, etc., etc. are some of the things that make him 'extremely' sad . 

It is a sincere effort and a holy wish to improve this disadvantage, Birendra's entry into politics. ‘I will try to tackle these problems in society through politics,’ he adds. ‘If we can give these issues the right direction, we will truly move forward on the path of progress.’

Birendra Bahadur has started to think deeply at night and in the evenings, ‘If we just look at the problems from afar, the country will enter an even more dangerous zone and the generations after us will blame us for the country’s deterioration. Now I will spend my time examining the causes of these problems.’

How will politics improve now? In a long dialogue, Birendra repeated the same topic over and over again – school education reform! In his understanding, Nepal’s secondary education system is completely destroyed, completely ruined. ‘Our 5 million students are studying, but the level of education in those community schools is on a very weak foundation,’ he says, ‘We have been preparing only semi-educated manpower for years, which is why the youth are unemployed and are forced to go abroad.’ 

The Constitution of Nepal itself has declared education up to the basic level (grade 8) not only free, but also ‘compulsory’. However, no study has been done to determine the level of such a multi-faceted education. The history of school education, i.e. ‘modern’ education in Nepal, is short. For a century (1903-2007), the general Nepalese did not have access to education. Because the rulers, i.e. the Ranas, were adamantly opposed to education. It was only after 2007 that a remarkable change took place in education in Nepal.

That is why Birendra is so keen on reforming secondary education, which will be his first entry into politics. ‘To solve the terrible problem of education, we must first experiment with information technology-based secondary education. Without information technology, the doors of knowledge of students cannot be opened. We are studying/researching how information technology can be effectively implemented in all schools across the country,' he says, 'When students receive quality and practical education, employment is created in the country and the nation moves forward on the path of entrepreneurship.' 

There are some ways to make the country sustainably dynamic through the politics of the 'Dynamic Democratic Party' - with Birendra Bahadur, whom he naturally calls 'infallible'. The next 'step' after school education reform is - the development of employment and entrepreneurship in the country, which will create employment in Nepal forever and stop the migration of youth abroad for work in the long term. 'The face of the country cannot be changed without creating employment from within the country. And, entrepreneurship is the most suitable way to change the face, it opens the doors of employment,' he says, 'The real need now is to identify equitable entrepreneurship.' 

In Birendra's opinion, the pillars of long-term employment and entrepreneurship in Nepal are agriculture, information technology, tourism and transport. He feels that it is a great curse for our cultivable land to remain in fragmented ownership. And, as long as we revolve around subsistence agriculture, we will remain where we are. And, if an education system that includes information technology is implemented at the school level, he believes that I-T industries will soon open in Nepal and this will lead Nepal to a 'digital' transformation. 'An education system that includes information technology will lead us to employment and entrepreneurship,' he says, 'Nepal's special place in the changing world will also be secured - after the country's digital transformation.'

The features that make Nepal known to the whole world are Mount Everest and Lumbini. Therefore, in Birendra's study, tourism and transport are the real places for employment and entrepreneurship in Nepal. The great poet Laxmi Prasad Devkota wrote about Nepal, ‘It is small but it is heaven, it is far away, but the divine magic of distance!’ Now it is necessary to realize it through tourism. From the Himalayas to the Terai, Nepal has a magnificent world of natural, cultural, geographical, and biological diversity. The entire Nepal is a living museum of different patterns of life, culture, nature, food, costumes, and language. 

‘The entire Nepal is a school for learning the geography and life here and for experiencing the different worlds of people. You can see immense diversity here, so tourism is another way to employment and entrepreneurship,’ says Birendra, ‘If we can fly directly from Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa to operate intercontinental flights, the number of tourists can be increased.’ His dream is that if 500,000 tourists visit Nepal every year, 500,000 tourists will come in 10 years, which means that 300,000 will get jobs annually, and 300,000 Nepalis will get jobs in 10 years. In his opinion, local government is the main instrument for all three issues - good governance, employment and entrepreneurship, through which the country can be led towards prosperity. He is addressing this main aspect in the party manifesto. 

Birendra feels that the future political path of Nepal is service and sacrifice. That spirit will become dynamic when the leaders have creativity. The concern that ‘politics has become a profession’ drew him into politics. ‘Politics should be service, but that could not happen in Nepal,’ he says, ‘Politics is not a path to earn money. Since the unification of Prithvi Narayan, the governance system and governance system have been becoming professional. We have developed a system that is useless without Bhansun or source-force. Now this principle of governance and politics must be changed. Leaders must be brought into the politics of service and sacrifice,’ says Birendra, ‘If I cannot achieve success, the new generation will take our thinking forward!’ 

Birendra himself did not become the party chairman, he remained a member. Why? ‘There should be checks and balances! If our party wins tomorrow and brings a majority, I will become a minister or Prime Minister. However, if I am the only one in the government and the party, then whatever I say will happen. This is the reason why today's politics is professional. When the same person is the Prime Minister and the party chairman, whatever happens there. Our party officials are not allowed to contest elections,’ he is heard clearly, ‘Dictatorship can be created in politics, so there should be one post, one person, and the same person should not be allowed to stay in the party or government for more than two terms.’